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So, I grew up entirely in Middle Tennessee - which is I guess the mid-south? It is not the deep south but it is the south. However, my hometown had a university which brought professors from all over and also some industry which brought managers and such from "up North". So, the kids I went to school with were a combination of people "from" my hometown and "from" other places. All that to say, I don't know if my upbringing was typical of anything...
I do know that as I got older, I started to question things I had previously believed. I applied critical thinking and experience (my experiences and those that other people shared with me), and I tested - on a subconscious level - where my believes made sense in the light of new evidence. Some held up - at least in some way, and others were rejected. And yes, maybe some were too difficult to give up even if the evidence did not support them. This has been my way. I don't know if the willingness/ability to do this was inherent in me or something I was taught... I do know my early education was probably atypical for a medium/small town in the mid-south. From kindergarten until fourth grade, I attended an elementary school that was part of the county system but also connected to the university. Looking back, it was a pretty progressive education.
A recurring theme in posts from friends who grew up in the south and who are now progressives is that ones background is not an excuse for racism or homophobia or bigotry of any kind. Bad beliefs can be cast aside in favor of better beliefs. So, holding onto to racists ideas is a choice. Racism is definitely not a genetic predisposition (I believe) and if it is a learned behavior - then it can be unlearned and we can be retrained.
All this came to my mind when the phrase "fair to middlin'" came to my mind and my wondered in my head - if this was an expression most people know - or if it is a regional colloquialism. In case, you don't know - if someone asks how are are doing - if you are just "okay" not good and not bad - you can say you are fair to middlin' - which basically carries the same meaning is "just okay".
Anyway, I guess this week, I am 'fair to middlin'...
Today, we featured songs 20-24 from this week's playlist:
20. "Our Summer" by Special Moves
We kick off this segment of music with a track from the new album by the Olympia, Washington based indiepop/DIY project of singer-songwriter Joshua Hoey. A great track to start of this segment of music.
21. "Desire is a Mess" by I LIKE TRAINS
We have been featuring the recent singles from this Leeds based band - their new album KOMPROMAT is out now, and it sounds fantastic. The band formed in 2004.
22. "Defender" by The Agency
Next up, we have a new track from the collective from Newcastle upon Tyne. They have been called an English Velvet Underground for the 21st Century.
23. "Fight the Flames" by Caterpillars
Next up, we have a track from the recently released third album by the Dallas, Texas based indie-rock band. I dig their sound.
24. "Truth" by Certain Animals
We close out this segment of music with the latest single from this Dutch band that mixes strong 60s and 70s influence with more modern influences like Tame Impala. A great way to close out this segment of music.
Tomorrow - we wrap up this week's Featured Friday Playlist - time is going way too fast.
Featured Friday Playlist
Wednesday Morning Shuffle
A bunch of fairly recent music in today's shuffle....
"Swallow" by Mayflower Madame (from Prepared for a Nightmare)
First up, we have a track from this Norwegian post-punk/psychedelic band from Oslo. The album was released back in June. We have featured a few songs from this this summer.
"Get Lucky" by Babybird (from King of Nothing)
Next up, we have a track from the forthcoming compilation by the lo-fi//indie legend known Babybird. Stephen Jones (Babybird) has recorded over 130 albums in just under 10 years - which he has released via his bandcamp page. This seems to be a great way to catch up with this fascinating artist - which is what I am trying to do.
"Longing" by Bison Bison (from Hover)
Next up, we have a track from an album released early this year by this Toronto based band that combines electronic and acoustic elements in a collage that is highly original.
"Goya" by Every 13 Days (from Etant Donnes)
Next up, we have another track from the 25th anniversary release of the debut album by this trio that formed in Buffalo before moving to NYC. This was only album recorded by the bamd. The album was released in February by Honey Puller records which recently re-emerged in Portland, Oregeon - after years in NYC.
"The Leader" by Motihari Brigade (from Power From Below)
We close out the shuffle with this track from the January 2020 release - high-energy revolution rock. A great way to end the shuffle.
VIDEO PLAYLIST
NEW AND RECENT RELEASESTHIS WEEK8/31 - Andre Salvador & the Von Kings - Last Night From Glasgow (LP)8/31 - of1000faces - "Astronomica" (single) (? on release date?)8/31 - Fabien Jack - "Silent Alarm" (single) (? on release date?)9/03 - COY Swede - "You Are" (single)9/04 - India Ramey - Shallow Graves (LP)9/04 - The Star Prairie Project - "Frantic Mind" (single)9/04 - Jabbawoki - Something's Cookin' (EP)9/04 - Parker Lee- Scrundle (LP)9/04 - Andrew Adkins - "Vagabond Shoes" (single)***9/04 - Dirk Powell - When I Wait for You (LP)9/04 - Ghostlawns - "Ffoi" (single)9/04 - Debbie Lagrange - "La chanson des moustiques" (single)9/04 - Rob Clarke and the Wooltones - Putting the L in Wooltones (LP)9/04 - New Way Vendetta - "Cool/Cough"/"1984 (On the Floor)" (single)9/04 - Annie Dressner - Coffee at the Corner Bar (LP)LAST WEEK8/25 - Andrew Grimm - A Little Heat (LP)8/28 - The Northern Belle - We Wither, We Bloom (LP)8/28 - Special Moves - Little Help (LP)8/28 - Molly Tuttle - ...but I'd rather be with you (LP)8/28 - Caterpillars - Where Shadows Go to Speak (LP)8/28 - Certain Animals - "Truth" (single)8/28 - The Agency - "Defender" (single)8/28 - Dianne Davidson - Perigon: Full Circle (LP)8/28 - Raveis Kole - "Angel from Montgomery" (single)8/28 - The Blam Blams - Opening Night (LP)8/28 - Jessy Yasmeen - "Let's Slip Away" (single)8/28 - Michael Landin - On a Clear Day (LP)8/28 - Jacob Wallace - "Wanderer" (single)8/28 - Pace - "Boatman's Weather" (single)8/28 - From Venus - "Unconditional" (single)8/28 - Maria Shiel - Fire in the Sea (LP)8/28 - Gold Hick - "Up Arrow"/"Trad Ghost" (single)8/28 - ReMission International (Wayne Hussey) - "TOS2020" (single)NEXT WEEK9/11 - Mike Barnett - +1 (LP)9/11 - Atta Boy - Big Heart Manners (LP)9/11 - Johnny Thunders - Que Sera Sera: Resurrected (Boxset)9/11 - Brian Cullman - Winters Clothes (LP)9/11 - Brophy's Law - "Record Collector" (single)UPCOMING9/18 - The Pull of Autumn - Small Colors (LP)9/18 - Anton Barbeau - Manbird (Double LP)9/18 - The Persian Leaps - Smiling Lesson (EP)9/18 - Dan Friese - Jane Songs (LP)9/18 - 4 Track All-Star - 5123 (LP)9/18 - Various Artists - The Last Shall Be First: The JCR Record Story, Volume 1 (LP)9/22 - Babybird - King of Nothing (LP)9/24 - Magnolia Bayou - Strange Place (LP)9/25 - Buildings and Food - Up Down Strange Charm (LP)9/25 - Music Maker Relief Foundation - Hanging Tree Guitars (LP)9/25 - Andrew Grimm - A Little Heat (LP)9/25 - Cayucas - Blue Summer (LP)9/25 - of1000faces - Astronomica (LP)9/25 - Shane Tutmarc - Written & Produced by Shane Tutmarc (Double LP)9/25 - Mt. Doubt - Doubtlands (LP)10/02 - Buckle Bunny - Pet Speak (LP)10/02 - Will Payne Harrison - The Stratford Sessions (EP)10/02 - The Jensen Sisters - Yellow Frames (LP)10/02 - Mantis & The Prayer - Murder Ballad and the Blue (AA singles)10/02 - Kouatchou - "My Teacher"/"Change" (AA singles)10/02 - Gold Hick - Formed at Depth (LP)10/02 - Laura Fernandez - Okay, Alright (LP)10/09 - Year of October - Wastelands (LP)10/09 - Great Peacock - Forever Worse Better (LP)10/09 - Zao - Preface: Early Recordings 1995-1996 (LP)10/09 - Zao - All Else Failed: 25th Anniversary Edition (LP)10/09 - Jeremy Ivey - Waiting Out the Storm (LP)10/09 - Laraaji - Moon Piano (LP)10/09 - Howard Gladstone - The Promise (LP)10/16 - Malin Pettersen - Wildhorse (LP)10/16 - Monette - "Monotony" (single)10/23 - The Agency - In the Haunted Woods (LP)10/23 - Lera Lynn - On My Own (LP)11/06 - Love Tractor - Love Tractor - reissue (LP)11/13 - The Flat Five - Another World (LP)11/13 - Andrew Adkins - The Echoist (LP)1/01/2021 - This Frontier Needs Heros - Go With the Flow (LP)RECENT8/03 - PXPRS - "Coup de grâce" (single)8/05- Dissonance/Cat Hall - Trials (EP)8/07 - The Furious Seasons - La Fonda (LP)8/07 - Kevin Gordon - Down To The Well: Solo Demos Unearthed (LP)8/07 - Jason Molina - Eight Gates (LP)8/07 - Steven Bruce - Same Time, Same Place, Same Station (LP)\8/07 - Laura Donohue - "Muse" (single)8/07 - The Flat Five - "Drip a Drop" (single)8/07 - Jason Erie - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (single)8/07 - Ci Gofod - "Dyfodol (feat. Lloyd Bastian of ‘Pseudo Cool’)" (single)8/07 - Vincent Cross - The Life & Times of James ‘The Rooster’ Corcoran (LP)8/07 - Nelss - "In the Unknown" (single)8/07 - Jonny Polonsky - "You Turn Me On (Jim Sclavunos Remix)" (single)8/07 - Joshua - "If I'd Never Let Go" (single)8/07 - Polymer - "King of Suburbia" (single)8/07 - Carrus & Kurtz - The Genius of..., Vol. 4: The Humanity of Humility (LP)8/07 - Anton Barbeau - "Manbird" (single)8/07 - Ryan Allen - Song Snacks Vol. 1 (LP)8/07 - Depression, Baby - "Isolation" (single)8/07 - Saronde (feat. Idd Aziz) - "Firewood" (single)8/07 - The Party of Helicopters - Live at Earthquaker Day 2019 (LP)8/07 - Phillip La Rosa - "Baggage" (single)8/07 - La Cigarra - "Quimeras" (single)8/07 - Marble Mammoth - "Have the Sun Lick Your Mind" (single)8/08 - Miss Molly Simms - Reckless (LP)8/11 - Brandon Phillips & The Condition - "Veronica" (single)8/13 - Cindy - Free Advice (LP)8/14 - R.B. Morris - Going Back to the Sky (LP)8/14 - The Blam Blams - "Opening Night" (single)8/14 - Michael McArthur - How to Fall in Love (EP)8/14 - Sylvie Simmons - Blue on Blue (LP)8/14 - Mark W. Georgsson - Comes a Time (EP)8/14 - Soft Set - "Never Die"/"7 on Up" (single)8/14 - Ivan Moult - "What More Could I Want"'/"Toxic" (single)8/14 - Biomechanimal - "Enter the Animal" (single)8/14 - The Veer Union - "Slaves to the System" (single)8/14 - Magnolia Bayou - "Sweet Magnolia" (single)8/14 - Eito - While You Were Sleeping (EP)8/14 - Razorwire Halo - "Cover My Eyes" (single8/14 - Calm and Concise - "That Wave" (single)8/14 - Skylar Gregg - Roses (LP)8/17 - KnightressM1 - "Lock and Key" (single)8/18 - Jeremy Ivey - "Someone Else's Problem" (single)8/18 - Matte Blvck - "Bare" (single)8/19 - KC Beck - "Wake Me Up When This Year's Over" (single)8/19 - The Persian Leaps - "Lost Cause" (single)8/20 - Jessica Luise - "Television Mister" (single)8/20 - Various Artists - For Belarus (LP)8/21 - Eric Bolander - "Window" (single)8/21 - A Shoreline Dream - Melting (LP)8/21 - Liar,Flower - Geiger Counter (LP)8/21 - Xanthe Alexis - The Offering (LP)8/21 - Reardon Love - "Locked in the Panopticon" (single)8/21 - Ghostwood Development Project - "Almost Human" (single)8/21 - The Sea At Midnight - "We Share the Same Stars" (single)8/21 - Buckle Bunny - "Lizard Brain" (single)8/21 - Parker Lee - "Drunk" (single)8/21 - Pozzi - Tyrant (LP)8/21 - The Hengles - "Fire in the Rain" (single)8/21 - Julien Shah-Tayler (feat. MGT) - "Evolution" (single)8/21 - Bad Sauna - "Niin kuin se ennen oli (“As It Was Before”)" (single)8/21 - Aquabats - Kooky Spooky ... In Stereo! (LP)8/21 - Aquabats - "Dangerous Leon" (single)8/21 - Little King - "Blend" (single)8/21 - I LIKE TRAINS - KOMPROMAT (LP)8/21 - Dan Friese - "Streetlight" (single)8/21 - 3eon Vibe - "REDRUM" (single)8/21 - Q&A - One More Jazz Thing (EP)8/21 - Benchmarks - Summer, Slowly (LP)
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